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Hamid explores creative dunks
– ahead of All-Star Weekend
Tyrone Hamid
By Edison Jefford
Tyrone Hamid idolises Vince Carter in a way that maybe no other local young basketball talent has, and as a result, the All-Star Junior and Senior Dunk Champion has gone to the depths of his creativity for 2009 All-Star Weekend.
Hamid has superseded pasting posters of the National Basketball Association (NBA) All-Star player in his room to analysing his emotional functions. Hamid and Carter positively share one commonality: they are crazy creative dunkers.
While there are obvious disparities between Hamid and his NBA idol for reasons that are unquestionable, the 19-year-old local dunk champion often electrifies audiences with his athleticism, leaping ability and unmatched work ethic.
The naturally endowed athlete sat down with Kaieteur Sport for an exclusive interview at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall yesterday before he challenges the best dunkers in Guyana this weekend in an explosive ‘Dunk-Out’ competition.
“I just love dunking, I love this game and I love Vince Carter-Carter is the kind of player that motivates the entire team with his dunks. Everyone sort of feeds off his dunks and he likes what he does. That’s how I see myself,” Hamid said.
The Ravens Basketball Player and former Courts Pacesetter only dunked once last year at All-Star Weekend and that was good enough to woo the judges and confirm his place as a definite force to reckon with in future ‘Showtime’ events.
He won last year’s junior competition with a ‘Windmill Special’-a dunk that is performed with the player sailing to the basket with his hand making the windmill motion following its execution. It is often ‘specially’ or personally remodelled.
Hamid raised the bar when he flew over his friend to also win the senior dunk contest last year in a performance that moved a capacity crowd at the Sports Hall to applause and still some enthusiast felt obliged to offer a standing ovation.
“Because I only dunked once (usually three attempts are allowed) last year, I have a lot of dunks that I will do this year that I didn’t get to do. I have some new (dunking) tricks and none of them would be as one before,” Hamid informed.
The look of the tower of strength and fitness, who is just about six feet, one inch tall often belie his leaping ability. Hamid makes an incredible amount of height off the ground with unusual smoothness that does not undermine aggression.
“I work hard. I put in the hard work so that I can run on the court. I just like dunking and I like every opportunity I get to show people why I like dunking,” he continued, amid the sense of humility that is characteristic of greatness.
Hamid is unquestionably one of the fittest local basketball players. He is always on some basketball court doing something. His work ethic is second to none and this was proven a few months ago during the national junior team camps.
The dunk champion was part of 75 percent of the practice sessions of the national team at the Sports Hall even though his junior national years had passed. He wanted to maintain a level of fitness that is akin to famous sportsmen.
“Before I won the dunk-out last year, I had never won a trophy, but I don’t do it for all of the trophies and money you can get, I do it because I love it. When I won last year I knew the amount of money you can get,” Hamid indicated.
The former student of Tutorial High School said that his philosophy is simple: live for the experience.
He said every dunk is an experience for him to explore the range of human athleticism and he enjoys every moment.
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